Osram Announces Cross-License Agreement with Lite-On Technology Corporation

SAN JOSE, Calif.--Jan. 2, 20048, 2004--Osram GmbH, Munich, today announced that it has signed a patent cross-license contract with Lite-On Technology Corporation, a manufacturer of optoelectronics in Taiwan. Osram has granted Lite-On a royalty-bearing license to manufacture and sell surface-mount, light emitting diodes (SMT LEDs) and white LEDs with conversion technology, for which Osram holds patents. Typical applications for these two LEDs include backlighting for mobile phones and car radio displays.

Osram Opto Semiconductors, a subsidiary of Osram GmbH, developed the conversion technology for LEDs. This technology enables white LEDs to be produced using blue-emitting, InGaN (Indium Gallium Nitride)-based chips and a suitable fluorescent converter.

"Over the years, we have developed a very strong position and have a good deal of intellectual property at our disposal," explains Dr. Rudiger Mueller, chief executive officer of Osram Opto Semiconductors. The company had signed patent contracts with Nichia, Rohm and Everlight.

Osram holds patents for several SMT LED packages and mounting forms. SMT devices are very small and low-profile, enabling greater design flexibility and facilitating further processing in industrial series manufacturing.

Lite-On has granted Osram a patent license for special manufacturing processes.

About Osram

Osram is one of the two largest lighting manufacturers in the world. The Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH subsidiary in Regensburg offers its customers a range of solutions based on semiconductor technology for lighting, sensor and visualisation applications. The company operates facilities in Regensburg (Germany), San Jose (USA) and Penang (Malaysia). In the 2003 fiscal year (ending in September) around 3.300 employees produced sales totaling EURO 392 million. Further information is available at www.osram-os.com.

About Lite-On

Visit www.liteon.com